TOKYO, April 9 (Reuters) - Japan's Seven & i Holdings ( SVNDF )

said on Wednesday fourth-quarter profit fell 15%, a

result that is likely to hamper its ability to fend off a

takeover attempt by Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard ( ANCTF ).

The operator of 7-Eleven convenience stores booked operating

profit of 105.6 billion yen ($726.4 million) for the

December-February period.

That compared with the 94.45 billion yen average of eight

analyst estimates compiled by LSEG and 124.23 billion yen earned

in the same period a year prior.

($1 = 145.3800 yen)